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Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Mountain Dew: The secret to Billy Hamilton's super speed

There's a self-admitted substance that's been pivotal to Billy Hamilton's success this season and it comes in a green can courtesy of PepsiCo. It goes by the name of Mountain Dew and the carbonated beverage has been helping turn the wheels of the Reds minor league prospect all year long.

"It's the Dew. There's something about Mountain Dew that gets me amped up," Hamilton said. "I feel like if I drink Mountain Dew, everything in my body gets ready to go. It helps me steal bases. Even the coaches will bring it to me."
Hey, marketing reps for Mountain Dew, are you listening? You seem to have a perfect fit for a celebrity endorsement in Hamilton -- he's wired, fully-charged and unique just like everyone's favorite drink from the '90s is.

Whether the citrus-flavored beverage can be fully credited with Hamilton's superior speed remains to be seen, but one thing is certain, the 22-year old Hamilton was born to run. After swiping a whopping 103 bases last season in 135 games at Single-A Dayton, he already has 104 in 82 contests this season at Single-A Bakersfield. In fact, he's on pace to completely shatter the single-season stolen-base record in organized ball set by Vince Coleman with Single-A Macon in 1983 (145).

Hamilton isn't just a one-tool player either though. This is evidenced by his slash line of .323/.413/.439, 79 runs scored, 30 RBI, 18 doubles and nine triples during the first half. His stellar play has ultimately led to his promotion to Double-A Pensacola where he is likely to finish out 2012. And that's just fine with the speedster, just as long as there's plenty of places to pick up a Mountain Dew around the northern Florida city. Luckily for the Blue Wahoos, the Reds, his teammates, his coaches, himself and the fans, there are.